https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-389-A-Meeting-of-Mentor-and-Disciple-Across-Time/12558509/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-391-A-Father-Son-Reunion-Across-Time-and-Space-Dragon-Vein-Conclusion-/12558516/
Chapter 390: The Unexpected Effects of Dragon Vein Energy
Chapter 390: The Unexpected Effects of Dragon Vein Energy
Naruto Uzumaki stood rooted to the spot, his mind reeling as he slowly processed Jiraiya's departure. He began to wander aimlessly through the streets of Loulan, his thoughts in turmoil.
He wished Jiraiya had just been joking and was hiding nearby, using his ninjutsu to keep an eye on him.
"Why did he have to do that? Why couldn't he just accept knowing the future and stay safe?" Naruto muttered to himself, his eyes unfocused.
Naruto felt that changing Jiraiya's future should have been simple, as he knew the exact circumstances and timing of his mentor's death.
"All he had to do was avoid that mission…"
"Would you like some ramen?" Mu Yue suddenly appeared beside the dazed Naruto and asked.
"Yes," Naruto answered instinctively, his eyes fixed on Mu Yue.
Mu Yue quickly led Naruto back to their rented house.
As soon as Naruto stepped inside, he was greeted by a rich, enticing aroma. On the dining table were two large bowls of steaming hot ramen.
Naruto, drawn by the delicious smell, made his way to the table. To his delight, it was his favorite—pork miso ramen with char siu.
"I wasn't sure if the ramen here in Loulan would taste the same as in Konoha, so I made it myself," Mu Yue explained as he sat down next to Naruto.
Naruto felt a warmth spread through him as he looked at Mu Yue's gentle smile, as if he were basking in the sun on a fresh, sunny day.
Naruto thanked Mu Yue and, after a quick "Itadakimasu," he eagerly picked up his chopsticks and began to devour the mouthwatering ramen.
With each bite, Naruto felt as if he were lounging on a pristine beach, the sun warming his body. The broth, when he sipped it, only added to the comforting warmth.
Normally, Naruto would have been raving about the delicious ramen by now, but the thought of Jiraiya's impending death dampened his enthusiasm. Even this exquisite ramen couldn't lift his spirits completely.
"Big brother Mu Yue," Naruto said between mouthfuls, "that perverted hermit is really something else, huh?"
"Always boasting about his reputation, yet he can't shake his perverse habits. When he teaches me ninjutsu, he just leaves me to practice on my own and runs off to play. Even though he knows it's dangerous, he insists on going alone to gather intelligence. And even though I paid for the popsicles, he acts like he's treating me…"
Naruto went on and on, listing Jiraiya's many flaws as if he held a personal grudge. Yet, the tears welling in his eyes betrayed his true emotions.
Mu Yue sighed softly and placed a hand on Naruto's head, gently ruffling his hair but saying nothing.
Reality could be cruel. Even if Naruto told Jiraiya everything, even if Jiraiya survived in this world, Jiraiya from Naruto's world would still be gone. They weren't separated by time but by different worlds.
After pouring out his heart, Naruto felt much better, and the ramen tasted delicious again.
"This is the best ramen I've ever had, even better than Ichiraku's," Naruto declared after finishing his bowl, still savoring the aftertaste. Everything about it had been perfect.
Although Naruto loved Ichiraku's ramen, he had to admit that Mu Yue's ramen was exceptional, perhaps the pinnacle of ramen. He doubted he would ever taste better.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Mu Yue said with a smile.
But Naruto's heart sank again as he looked at Mu Yue's smile, remembering Yamato's speculation about him.
It just didn't seem fair that people like Jiraiya and Mu Yue wouldn't make it to the end.
"Big brother Mu Yue," Naruto asked, "if we go back, is there a chance we can come back here?"
He didn't understand the mechanics of their time travel, but he desperately wanted to return to the past once more after going back.
He needed to find answers from Kakashi, to take the knowledge of everyone's deaths back in time, and ensure that Mu Yue and the others survived.
"It's possible, but it will likely be very difficult," Mu Yue replied thoughtfully.
It was a tricky question, as Mu Yue himself didn't fully grasp how the dragon vein energy allowed them to traverse time and worlds.
Naruto might trigger the dragon vein energy again and end up in another parallel world, or he might truly travel back to the past of their own world.
Naruto's eyes gleamed with determination. If there was even a slim chance, he was going to try.
"Big brother Mu Yue, let's continue our lessons," Naruto said.
There were issues to address in the past, but there were also problems in his own time—Akatsuki, Sasuke's defection—that needed his attention. To solve them, he needed to become stronger.
Mu Yue smiled and nodded, leading Naruto back for their lesson.
While Naruto was destined to become the savior of the ninja world, mastering the Yang Release would make his path a little less treacherous.
Naruto didn't mention his encounter with Jiraiya, but Yamato sensed that something had changed in Naruto upon his return.
However, Yamato didn't inquire about the specifics. Instead, they resumed their usual training routine.
During their breaks, Yamato racked his brain for funny stories, hoping to cheer Naruto up. Unfortunately, his stoic face was better suited for intimidating enemies than delivering jokes. No matter how hilarious the punchline, it fell flat coming from him.
"Could his Wood Release ability be interfering with his humor cells?" wondered Obito seriously.
"I think it's simply a case of poor joke-telling skills," Kakashi offered bluntly.
"Kakashi, how can you say that about your future junior?" Obito teased, seemingly defending Yamato.
Kakashi reconsidered, "Perhaps it's because he has no friends to practice his jokes on, which has led to his abysmal joke-telling abilities."
Yamato: ... My fists are clenching. I really want to punch these two. Why are they ganging up on me?
"Don't listen to them, Captain Yamato," Naruto spoke up in Yamato's defense.
But Naruto's next words left Yamato speechless. "He's just a bit slow, that's all."
Yamato wanted to facepalm. He had tried to lighten the mood, but it seemed he had only succeeded in making himself the joke.
Yamato's face reddened, and he mumbled something about his 'uncontrollable facial features' and being an 'ANBU ninja.' His attempt at self-deprecating humor earned a round of laughter from the group, lightening the atmosphere.
Although he had become the butt of the joke, seeing Naruto smile again made it worth it for Yamato.
After the brief respite, the group resumed their training.
"The most crucial aspect of Water Release is the ability to manipulate the shape of your chakra. Don't get fixated on a single form," Mu Yue instructed Yamato.
"Try using the Water Wall Technique."
Yamato nodded, forming the necessary hand seals to gather and convert his chakra into water-attribute chakra. He then swiftly channeled it to create a wall of water that rose from the ground in front of him, blocking his front.
"This Water Wall can only defend against attacks from one direction. However, if you use the technique like I'm about to show you, you can protect yourself from assaults coming from all sides," Mu Yue explained as he began forming hand seals.
"Water Release: Water Wall Jutsu!"
A massive amount of water gushed from Mu Yue's mouth, rapidly spinning and drawing a circle around him. In an instant, an impenetrable water barrier encapsulated both Mu Yue and Yamato.
Yamato attempted the technique again, guided by Mu Yue's instructions. However, due to his insufficient shape manipulation skills, he failed to replicate Mu Yue's feat.
Mu Yue wasn't surprised by this outcome; mastering such a technique required both time and innate talent.
Ninja techniques weren't like clay that could be molded into any shape at will. Just as Yamato couldn't use Wood Style: Nativity of a World of Trees, it wasn't a matter of preference but capability.
"Try using Water Style: Water Breathing alongside your Water Release," Mu Yue continued his lesson.
Yamato had only been training with Water Style: Water Breathing for a short while, and his proficiency had barely broken the 10% mark. Nonetheless, he attempted the technique again per Mu Yue's suggestion.
Although Yamato's second attempt at the Water Wall Technique didn't succeed, he felt a subtle difference from his previous effort.
[Lesson Complete]
[Evaluation: S]
[Rewards: Yang Attribute Chakra Nature Alteration +8, Yang Style: Breath +3, Water Attribute Chakra Nature Alteration +2, Water Style: Breath +1, Slight Increase in Chakra Shape Manipulation Ability]
After the day's lessons, Mu Yue's understanding of the Yang Style: Breath had improved significantly.
Perhaps due to Naruto's accumulated efforts, the experience gained from Yang Style: Breath was slightly higher than usual—a stable two points, with no other noticeable changes.
As Mu Yue's progress in developing the Yang Style: Breath approached a tangible form, An Lushan could no longer bear the torment and revealed his secret method of absorbing dragon vein energy to Mu Yue.
"Take all the dragon vein power from me, and let me go," An Lushan pleaded.
Mu Yue glanced at An Lushan with indifferent eyes before turning to the secret method that An Lushan had penned himself.
"It seems I've been too kind to you," Mu Yue sighed, leaving the room where An Lushan was held captive and increasing the intensity of the torture.
In truth, he didn't know if the secret method written by An Lushan was genuine or not, as it pertained to a field he was unfamiliar with. Nonetheless, it didn't stop Mu Yue from suspecting An Lushan's motives.
When it came to individuals like An Lushan, Mu Yue showed no mercy, and he wouldn't feel guilty even if his suspicions were unfounded.
"This guy hasn't even become a missing-nin yet, but he's definitely plotting something," An Lushan thought as he watched the ruthless Mu Yue, his eyes widening in shock.
The impression Mu Yue gave him was far from that of a stable and obedient ninja.
After leaving the detention area, Mu Yue went to meet with the Queen of Loulan.
Thanks to Mu Yue's help in resolving a significant issue for Loulan, the Queen had agreed to Mu Yue's request to control the dragon vein power and use it for his research.
However, this time, unlike with An Lushan, the Queen would only channel a small amount of dragon vein power to Mu Yue for his studies.
"The key to solving chakra issues lies in earning more rewards and developing the Yang Seal further." The more Mu Yue studied dragon veins, the more he realized that dragon vein energy couldn't be treated like a portable battery for his body, as it was far too dangerous.
However, Mu Yue discovered another use for dragon vein energy—strengthening Chakra Battle Armor.
After sealing dragon vein energy into Snow Country's Chakra Battle Armor, Mu Yue found that it significantly enhanced the armor's ability to amplify ninjutsu power.
Nonetheless, there was still a limit to this enhancement, and when Mu Yue attempted to unleash a perfect-grade nature transformation Fire Release ninjutsu, the amplification provided by the armor became negligible.
Despite this, it was still a valuable discovery, and although Mu Yue couldn't make use of it himself, he could share it with Kakashi and the others.
...
"Big Brother Mu Yue, I think I can feel that difference you mentioned." On the first day of formally cultivating the Yang Style: Breath, Naruto Uzumaki spoke excitedly to Mu Yue.
Mu Yue used his Appraisal Technique to take a look at Naruto.
Name: Naruto Uzumaki
Skills: Yang Style: Breath (1/100)
It was unclear if it was due to the theoretical knowledge he had learned or his natural talent, but Naruto was making rapid progress, and within a few hours, he had already achieved some level of proficiency.
Having found the right path to cultivation, Naruto immediately employed the Shadow Clone Training Method, creating over twenty clones to cultivate the Yang Style: Breath alongside him.
After cultivating for some time, Naruto dismissed the clones and organized his cultivation memories. According to Mu Yue's Appraisal, Naruto's proficiency in the breathing technique had skyrocketed to six points.
While the clones didn't provide a twenty-fold increase in cultivation speed, the efficiency of this method was still astonishing.
Mu Yue had anticipated this to some extent, recalling how in the original story, Naruto had quickly progressed from being clueless about Wind-attribute chakra nature transformation to developing S-rank Wind Release techniques. It seemed that Naruto was inherently gifted in this aspect compared to ordinary ninjas.
On the second day of cultivating the Yang Style: Breath, Naruto's proficiency had already surpassed Yamato, who had been cultivating the Water Style: Breath first. He could now begin to apply the breathing technique to enhance his strength in combat.
Around four in the afternoon, Mu Yue called for a halt to Naruto, Kakashi, and their training, suggesting they engage in combat practice instead.
Kakashi, Obito, and Guy were brimming with enthusiasm, as this was their first battle since their initial fight with Naruto, and they were eager to showcase their improvements. While they might not be able to defeat Naruto yet, they were determined not to suffer as badly as before.
Naruto was also keen on the idea, as during his lessons, Mu Yue had not only taught him about the Yang Style: Breath but had also provided guidance on various taijutsu techniques. This was an excellent opportunity to test out his newfound knowledge.
This time, Naruto refrained from using his usual clone army strategy and instead chose to face Kakashi, Obito, and Guy in a one-on-three battle.
Over the past month, Obito had made significant progress with his Fire Style: Blaze Chakra Mode, and like Mu Yue, he could now create any fire technique with a simple hand gesture.
In the battle, Obito transformed into a fire jutsu cannon, unleashing a barrage of powerful fire techniques that gave Naruto quite a challenge.
Kakashi's speed had increased, and his powerful Lightning Release slicing attacks forced Naruto to deploy numerous clones to distract Kakashi and divide his attention.
Hinata Hyuga displayed incredible strength, reminding Naruto of Sakura Haruno.
Watching the intense battle, Yamato couldn't help but nod in satisfaction, as everyone had visibly improved.
He glanced at Mu Yue, filled with admiration for his teaching abilities.
But as he looked, Yamato was taken aback.
"Two Mu Yue-senpai?" Yamato noticed a man standing next to Mu Yue, bearing a striking resemblance to him.
Noticing Yamato's gaze, Minato Namikaze turned and offered him a warm smile.
Recognizing Minato's face, Yamato immediately identified him as the Fourth Hokage.
Mu Yue wore a pair of black-rimmed glasses, while Minato did not, making it easy for Yamato to distinguish between the two.
Yamato could now empathize with Obito's feelings, as the resemblance between Mu Yue and Minato was uncanny, and their auras were strikingly similar. One could easily mistake them for blood-related brothers.
"Shall I call it off?" Mu Yue asked.
"No need, the battle is almost over," Minato replied with a gentle smile and a shake of his head.
Although Obito's Fire Style: Blaze Chakra Mode and Kakashi's enhanced abilities through the Transparent World were formidable, they couldn't maintain those states for long. On the other hand, Naruto had an abundant supply of chakra, as long as he didn't use his Rasengan or Shadow Clone Technique.
Of course, Naruto wouldn't resort to using his Rasengan in a training battle, as that could easily turn deadly.
"Naruto-nii-san, you're still the strongest," Obito conceded, impressed by Naruto's prowess.
Kakashi panted, catching his breath. He knew they still had a long way to go before reaching the level of powerful jonin like Mu Yue.
"Well, I am older than you," Naruto said, scratching his head and laughing.
After a harmonious post-battle discussion, Naruto turned to Mu Yue, seeking his feedback. However, his eyes landed on Minato, who stood beside Mu Yue, offering him a gentle smile.
(End of Chapter)
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